


Wait For Me To Come Home

by narusasunaruheadcanons



Category: Naruto
Genre: Angst, Bittersweet, Christmas, Emotional, First Christmas Together, Holidays, M/M, Neighbours, Winter
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-01-22
Updated: 2016-01-22
Packaged: 2018-05-15 10:41:13
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,524
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5783239
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/narusasunaruheadcanons/pseuds/narusasunaruheadcanons
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Sasuke has no plans for Christmas this year, and would be perfectly fine if the holiday itself disappeared. Too many memories, too many things he would rather forget. His persistent-and-sorta-charming flat neighbour, Naruto, however, has it in his head that Sasuke will be spending Christmas with him.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Wait For Me To Come Home

**Author's Note:**

> Merry Christmas!

Bundling a scarf around his neck and tucking it into his thick winter coat, Sasuke frowned at the thought of going outside into the cold. His apartment was nice and warm, just the temperature he liked it at during these chilly times, and now his body temperature would mess up and make him cold - which he didn’t want! Add the fact he hated going out anywhere during the Christmas season because of the rush, and it was a pretty miserable day for Sasuke. 

Despite how it was Christmas Eve, he still needed milk. Obviously, since how else would he drink his coffee? Coffee was _essential_. 

Pulling out his keys, he was just about to walk out the door when he stopped in the hallway. What had caught his attention and derailed his quest for milk was a framed photo, of himself and his big brother, Itachi. It was taken during their childhood, on one of the few Christmases Sasuke counted as memorable. 

He was grinning at the camera (youth to adulthood brought many changes to a person, he mused), holding their - at the time - family cat, Mimi. Sasuke had managed to put a Santa hat on her head, and was puffing with pride at having accomplished such a task. Itachi had one of his hands resting on Sasuke’s head, his smile not too big but not too small as he too looked at the camera. Sasuke stared at Itachi’s face, and despised the fact he could only now see it in his photographs and his memories. 

Back in February this year, Itachi had been catching a taxi home from work. It had been a rainy, miserable day - the type where people just want to get home and out of the messy weather. Road accidents were common incidents, and Itachi had become a victim of the rush hour traffic. It had been a huge crash down the main street of Konoha, seven people died, twelve were injured. 

Sasuke’s heart had broken when he didn’t see Itachi’s name on the list of survivors. His world had fallen apart in the space of a day. 

It was his first Christmas without Itachi, and Sasuke was admittedly feeling like shit. He felt like all the life was sucked out of him, and he was reduced to nothing but a couch potato. Right about now, he and Itachi would be out shopping for supplied for their Christmas Day dinner. 

Shaking his head of the unpleasant memories (they never went away though, they always lingered in the back of his mind), Sasuke opened the door and stepped out, locking it behind him. 

At the exact same time, the door opposite his flat opened to reveal a blonde-haired man, dressed in a hideous Christmas sweater and an even worse orange coat. 

It was Naruto. _Great_. 

After Itachi had passed, Sasuke could no longer stay in their family house. With their parents and now Itachi gone, it just felt too big. Too empty, for Sasuke. So he had sold it, packed up his things and moved halfway across town to buy himself his own flat.

That was where Naruto came in, as his annoying, dopey neighbour. Since their doors were right opposite each other, Naruto had made it his personal duty to barge into Sasuke’s life and be as irritating as possible. The idiot was always asking to borrow things, or offering Sasuke to come over and visit - sometimes even go out with his friends. 

Sasuke had naturally refused every single thing. Yet, Naruto was persistent, and consistently bothered Sasuke throughout the course of this year. He thought they were friends or something. _Ha_ , as if. 

He simply stared as those blue eyes noticed him and widened dramatically, before a massive grin spread across the tanned face, “Hey, Sasuke! How’s it hangin’?”

_Honestly_ , Sasuke thought irritably, did this idiot always have to smile around him? He was almost certain Naruto did it to piss him off, because Sasuke _did_ admit he was a grumpy bastard. Like he cared, though. 

Sasuke shrugged, “Fine, I guess.”

“Just fine? But it’s Christmas! This is the time where things are more than fine, they’re amazing!” Naruto gesticulated with his arms, attempting to mimic ‘amazing’ and Sasuke felt like sighing. _Really loudly._  

“I’m not really into all that Christmas spirit bullshit.” He muttered, slipping his already frozen hands inside his coat pockets. 

Naruto scoffed, “Well _that_ sounds like bullshit to me. Besides, it’s the most wonderful time of the year. Everyone comes together, friends and family–”

Narrowing his eyes, Sasuke decided he didn’t want to hear anymore, “Just shut up already, you’re giving me a headache.”

Quirking an eyebrow curiously, frowning slightly at Sasuke’s sour countenance, “What’s goin’ on, asswipe? You seem kinda gloomy…well more so than usual.”

Sighing, Sasuke shook his head, “Nothing. I just don’t see the fuss about it.”

When Naruto didn’t say anything else, Sasuke felt agitated. Why was this idiot refusing to notice that not everyone could be so happy during this stupid holiday? 

“This time of year only brings back pointless memories, it’s so fucking annoying.” He elaborated, his expression darkening slightly as Itachi’s face flashed across his mind and he desperately tried to hold onto it. 

More time than Sasuke realised had passed, when Naruto spoke again, “What are you doing tomorrow?”

“…Why?” 

“Well, have ya got any plans?”

Sasuke shrugged carelessly, “It’s just another day for me.” 

That was what Sasuke told himself at least, but even he couldn’t deny the massive ache in his chest whenever he thought about the fact that this was his first Christmas spent alone. He hadn’t bought any Christmas decorations, nor a tree, this year. His flat remained the same as it always did: plain, and simple. 

…Unlike fucking _Naruto_ who had three different types of tinsel hanging across his front door, with an admittedly beautiful wreath placed in the centre. Sasuke couldn’t even fathom what his interior looked like. 

“Good! Then you can come over and spend Christmas with me!” Naruto chirped happily, and Sasuke wondered if he had heard the idiot correctly.  

“What?” He couldn’t actually be serious…Naruto wanting to spend Christmas with _him_?

“Yeah! Come over whenever you wanna, I’ll be at home all day. Gonna be cooking the most delicious Christmas lunch in all of Konoha, so you won’t wanna miss it.” Patting his stomach, Naruto cocked his head to the side and gave Sasuke another dazzling smile.

It was actually kind of odd how much the idiot was smiling at him. Usually they exchanged insults whenever they ran into each other, which either left Naruto smirking in victory or spluttering in defeat. 

Sasuke didn’t get a chance to say anything more when Naruto started walking down the hall to the shared elevator on their floor. 

“I’ll see you then, Sasuke! Merry Christmas!” He called out, waving Sasuke farewell as he disappeared behind the doors. 

Sasuke stared at the elevator for a moment, before walking forward heading for the stairs. 

Naruto’s invitation swirled around inside his mind for the rest of the day after that. Sasuke cursed the idiot to hell and back for it. And he didn’t even care if it was Christmas Eve. 

* * *

Come Christmas morning, Sasuke was standing in front of his door and having a glaring - yes, _glaring_ , not staring, because Sasuke knew doors would glare at him too - contest with it. 

What the hell was he doing? Was he actually considering going to spend his Christmas, his first Christmas without any family, with _Naruto_?

Sasuke didn’t have close friends. He had people he worked with who he could count on to meet deadlines and maybe bring him a cup of coffee when he looked deflated, but nobody he could just ring up or text on a regular basis. This didn’t bother him, yet it had bothered Itachi a great deal. Well, Sasuke always claimed it was _his_ fault technically, since _Itachi_ was his best friend. _Was_. Not anymore. 

Of course, Sasuke didn’t consider Naruto his friend either (even though the moron insisted that, _yes_ , they _were_ , and of course friends bantered and picked fights just like they did with each other). Seeing as how Naruto considered him his friend though, he supposed that the idiot must have wanted his company. 

_Well of course he did, he offered, didn’t he?_ Sasuke didn’t like it when his mind played against him. It was just rude. 

Exhaling softly, Sasuke wondered if he should just get back in his pyjamas and go back to bed. But then his bed would be _cold_ , and he’d have to _wait_ for the electric blanket to warm up. But walking over to Naruto’s would be _embarrassing_ , and-

“Yo! It’s Christmas! You can’t sleep the day away, bastard!”

Sasuke pretended he did not just jump on the spot at hearing Naruto bang on his door, his jolly voice ringing out like a goddamn fog-horn. Does he want to disturb the entire floor!?

Hastily unlocking his door and opening it up to stop the banging, Sasuke glared at Naruto who had another bright Christmas sweater on and already had his perfect grin in place. And by perfect Sasuke meant it was like the type you see in magazines by those paid actors, not that he _personally_ thought Naruto’s smile was perfect. It wasn’t _horrible_ , but…it…

“What do you want?” He inquired boredly, cutting off his thoughts about Naruto and his smile. _Stupid._

“Come to get ya, of course! We said we were gonna spend Christmas together after all.” Naruto explained, grabbing Sasuke by the wrist and dragging him out the door. 

“I never said that I wanted-” 

“Don’t you just love Christmas morning? It’s so exciting!” Naruto talked over the top of Sasuke’s protests and practically shoved him through the door. Sasuke was inwardly shocked by how strong Naruto was as he slipped off his shoes. _He can’t be stronger than me, I just wasn’t ready is all._  

Sasuke stopped his moping as he took in Naruto’s flat for the first time. He was right, the place was literally covered in Christmas decorations. Tinsel hung across doorways, fairy lights were strewn over the table, the benchtop, the couch, the chairs at the table…this guy really loved fairy lights. 

And situated in the centre of the living room a few metres away from the fireplace was a Christmas tree. The fresh scent of pine assaulted Sasuke’s senses and caused sentimental feelings to bloom in his chest. 

“Someone likes to decorate.” Sasuke commented, neither a negative nor positive comment. A rare thing, in his case. 

Chuckling, Naruto awkwardly rubbed the back of his head, a trait Sasuke had come to associate the blonde with when he was shy or unsure about something. Why do I know that again? Sasuke mused fleetingly, forgetting about it when he heard Naruto speak.

“I’m a sucker for Christmas. It’s my favourite holiday. I even like it better than my birthday.” Naruto smiled as he walked into the kitchen, preparing food just as he said he would. 

“Your birthday isn’t a holiday.” Sasuke remarked, and was slightly amused when Naruto stuck his tongue out at him childishly. 

“I take the day off, so it counts!”

“Hn. Whatever, idiot.”

“Don’t call me an idiot! It’s Christmas! You gotta be nice, bastard!” Naruto admonished him, brandishing a wooden spoon in his direction as he started stirring some batter in a bowl. 

“That goes both ways, or was your brain not quick enough to pick that up?” Sasuke drawled, revelling in the warmth of Naruto’s flat as he walked into the kitchen as well. Was it just him or did Naruto’s apartment feel much warmer? 

“Shut up and just cut those carrots, Jerk-suke.” 

Sasuke deadpanned at Naruto’s continual childish antics. Yet, he caught the corners of Naruto’s lips uplifting. The stupid idiot was messing with him!

“This is why I win every argument we have.” Sasuke simply stated, picking up the knife and slicing the carrots delicately, just as his mother had taught him when he was a child. 

“Oh, that is load of crap and you know it.” Naruto was now placing the batter on a tray, rolling it into balls. _Christmas cookies_ , Sasuke almost smiled but caught himself before he let anything show. 

“Don’t you mean, a load of _ramen_?” Sasuke retorted smartly. 

He was absolutely smirking when it took Naruto at least ten minutes to figure out the insult, after which he promptly started ranting about the heavenly qualities of ramen. At which point Sasuke _may_ or _may not_ have shoved a carrot stick in the idiot’s mouth to shut him up.

Lying in bed would have to wait, it seemed. Since Naruto obviously wasn’t going to let him walk out now. _Such a moron_ , Sasuke mused, and though he thought he was the representation of irritation itself, his smirk did not leave his lips, which _certainly_ didn’t go unnoticed by a certain someone. 

* * *

“Told ya I make the best Christmas lunch in all of Konoha.” Naruto smiled cockily, stretching his legs out in front of him to warm them by the fireplace. 

“Don’t brag, you probably just got lucky this time,” Sasuke replied, also sitting in front of the fireplace, cross-legged and feeling lazy from the big meal he had just eaten. 

The meal was actually really good. _Really_ good. Sasuke didn’t know what it was, but Naruto’s food made him think of Itachi’s cooking. He was horrible at cooking himself, but Itachi, the genius that he was, cooked many delicious meals. His Christmas feasts were sensational, and what Sasuke looked forward to most during the holiday season. Sharing a nice meal with his brother. 

This year he was sharing a meal with his annoying neighbour, who actually wasn’t all that annoying if Sasuke had to be fair. Or maybe it was the wine he had drank earlier that was affecting his judgement, he didn’t know. 

“I can’t believe last year I was spending Christmas with my girlfriend,” Naruto chuckled lowly, poking at one of the baubles hanging on the tree, “Things sure do change, huh?”

Naruto had told him about how he usually spent his Christmases with whatever girl he was seeing at the time. However, currently living up the single life, Naruto didn’t have anyone around with him this year. Sasuke didn’t know what the deal was with his family, and he didn’t ask since Naruto didn’t bring it up. He respected that, and didn’t say anything.

“Now I’m spending it with you. I really didn’t expect this.”

Sasuke looked out of the sides of his eyes at Naruto. The way he smiled so easily, just because he was in Sasuke’s presence and because he could, made Sasuke feel flattered…and _jealous_. It had been so long since Itachi’s death, and Sasuke felt like he hadn’t moved forward at all. He was stuck, useless. It was so frustrating!

“This time last year, I was spending Christmas with my brother.” He said, not sure why he was telling Naruto this but apparently his mouth had a mind of its own, “I would be this year too, if he hadn’t gone and fucking died.” 

Sasuke glared at the fireplace and squeezed his hands into fists by his side, his nails digging in harshly to his soft, pale skin. 

“Shit, I’m sorry.” Naruto said, and there was something Sasuke had never seen from him before: a serious and even solemn demeanour. It was a strange thing to see on Naruto, and Sasuke felt like he was seeing a whole new side to him.

He continued, “He was always there for me. Now he’s just gone, and I feel like I’m floating. I haven’t touched the ground in what seems like forever, I’ve grown so accustomed to this detachment.”

Sasuke pretended he was fine. He would go in to work, do his job with 100% efficiency, and earn more money than most people would in a year in a month. The truth was though, that the weight of Itachi’s death still hung over him. The pain of losing his big brother was still so raw, even though a year had passed. And Sasuke hated that sometimes he would wake up in a cold sweat, chest heaving, the horrible images of his nightmares sticking in his mind that he just couldn’t get rid of. 

Sasuke wasn’t fine. He hadn’t been fine in a long time. 

“Hey _,_ look at me.” Naruto demanded, shaking Sasuke’s shoulder trying to get his attention. 

Sasuke jerked his shoulder away from the touch and angrily faced Naruto, who looked firm yet determined as he continued, “Whatever happens, don’t ever think you’re alone. You’re not.”

Those words were the trigger, and Sasuke lost it. 

“My family is dead, Naruto. I’m the last Uchiha left, there’s nobody here anymore!” Sasuke’s voice raised, the frustration and bottled up feelings he had suppressed and ignored for so, _so_ long finally pouring out. 

He lifted his arms up either side of him, demonstrating the vast emptiness of his life. He lived in a flat, not a house. Pictures hung on his walls, but the people in them only existed in his memory. 

“I am! I’m here!” Naruto declared, and he was definitely yelling. Sasuke was caught off guard by the way Naruto grabbed onto both his shoulders, forced to be face-to-face with him, those stormy blue eyes boring into his with such intensity. 

“I’ll always be right here for you, Sasuke.“ The latter’s lips parted when Naruto started tracing his index finger up the column of his neck, “Truth is, I really wanted to know you better this past year. You were always so damn evasive though, and I was a chicken-shit coward because I was afraid of getting rejected.”

Naruto’s hand kept moving, until his thumb was ghosting across Sasuke’s chin, wandering up to trace the seam of his bottom lip gently, “Well, I’m gonna say it now. I like you, Sasuke, and I wanna get to know everything about you. I wanna just fill my brain with the stupidest facts about you, every little quirk.”

Silence fell between them for almost a minute. Then, a dry chuckle barely escaped Sasuke’s lips as he shook his head at Naruto, "You’re messing with me, right?”

“Do I look like I’m joking right now? Don’t take my feelings so lightly, Sasuke!” Naruto wouldn’t look away from him, even though Sasuke was resolutely ignoring his gaze. 

It burned though, the feeling of Naruto’s eyes on him. Such a reaction was pretty much uncommon with Sasuke, as he liked to think of himself as someone who was not easily intimidated. Yet the sheer honesty of this man…it was all too overwhelming…

“You’re talking rubbish, just shut up about that crap already! I don’t want to hear that from you!” He spat, his walls coming up as he shoved Naruto in the shoulder away from him. It unfortunately didn’t deter him from their argument. 

“What the _fuck!?_ Why are you getting so freakin’ defensive?”

“I am not being defensive!” Sasuke hissed, wishing that Naruto would just drop the damn subject already! Didn’t he know when to take a hint? No, too thick-headed.

“You are! What, you think I’m lying to you?”

When Sasuke didn’t respond, didn’t fight Naruto’s words, the blonde exploded, “Why the hell would you think something like that!?”

Angry at himself for inadvertently telling Naruto more and more (how the hell did the moron know!?) Sasuke remained quiet. Something Naruto did not like, moving closer and getting into Sasuke’s personal space.

“Sasuke, answer me!” He demanded, eyes flashing.

“ _Because!_ ” Sasuke growled, his patience and nerves frayed and strained. 

“ _Why!?_ ” Naruto demanded, and he was so damn _annoying_ , and yelling at Sasuke’s face, and he couldn’t take it anymore-

“As if someone could ever have those sort of feelings about me!”

Silence. Naruto was openly staring at him, eyes as wide as saucers and his face the perfect picture of shock. Clearly whatever he had been expecting to hear from Sasuke was nowhere near this. 

“I’m…” Sasuke’s voice cracked, his angry crumbling away as his misery flooded in, “I’m not worth it, Naruto. Don’t waste your time. You’ll only end up regretting it.”

“Sasuke…” Naruto’s voice cracked, his eyes saddening, and it was as if his entire body deflated along with it. 

Shaking his head slightly, Sasuke ran a tired hand through his hair, losing strength under the weight of his pent-up emotions, “They’re all gone. They all leave eventually, so what’s the point?”

Sasuke emitted a small gasp when he felt a warm, calloused hand wrap around his wrist tightly, blue eyes raging as they locked on deep ebony orbs, “Don’t you ever,” Naruto paused, taking a moment to swallow and gather himself before continuing, “Ever think that. I know it hurts, it fucking hurts like hell to feel so worthless, but you’re not. Y-You just, you’re just so special Sasuke. You are.”

Blinking in surprise, Sasuke pondered why Naruto was reacting so strongly to his words. Could this ray of sunshine actually have suffered in life, too? Could someone so innately happy have went through things just as bad - or worse - as Sasuke?

“And I’m not lying,” Naruto’s voice shook him back to reality, and he faced those glittering cerulean orbs once more, “I swear to you, I would never toy with someone’s emotions like that. I’d never hurt you like that, I…I just _couldn’t_.”

Sasuke was reeling with all these confessions from Naruto. Did he really see Sasuke as such a… _precious_ person? 

“Hey, y'know what?” Naruto whispered all of a sudden.

“What?” Sasuke whispered back, his attention held completely by the energetic, annoying blonde he had deemed to dislike for so many months. 

“We have to kiss.” Naruto said in a hushed voice, as if it was a secret only the two of them could know. 

“What?” Sasuke repeated again, blinking in confusion. 

Naruto smiled, pointing up at the ceiling but not taking his eyes off Sasuke, “We’re under the mistletoe. It’s tradition, right?”

Following the direction of Naruto’s finger, Sasuke was slightly surprised upon seeing that there was, indeed, mistletoe hanging above them. _Attached to the fucking light shade._ Sasuke would have sighed if he had any energy.

“I don’t want to kiss you,” Sasuke mumbled, yet his body wouldn’t move an inch away from Naruto’s.

“Too bad, because I don’t break traditions in my home.” Naruto murmured, full of resolve and boldly cupping Sasuke’s with his hand, causing an automatic response of their bodies to lean in closer to each other. 

“Naruto,” Sasuke called his name softly. Their eyes clicked. The space between them no more as their lips pressed together. 

Sasuke had been kissed twice before in his life. 

The first time he had been fourteen years old, and it was with this girl who had been obsessed with him. Sakura Haruno, he vaguely thought her name was. She had been interested in one thing and one thing only: that being sticking her tongue as far down Sasuke’s throat as she could possibly manage. Not a glamorous first kiss, and definitely not a good one. 

Though, he supposed in a way it was. After all, that kiss from Sakura is what made Sasuke realise he might not be so attracted to females as he thought.  

The second time was with his brief but first boyfriend, a man by the name of Neji Hyuuga. Kissing Neji, a vast improvement in itself in contrast to Sakura, was both passionate yet empty. He and Neji were a similar ‘type’ of person, it was part of the reason Sasuke had agreed to their fling. Yet, something was always lacking when they kissed. The sex had been amazing, they were both naturally brilliant partners always ready to play. Whenever they kissed, however, Sasuke wouldn’t feel a thing for him aside from attraction. He had called it off, and that was that. 

This third time with Naruto was not like either of those. 

When Naruto kissed him, Sasuke’s eyes fluttered before they closed. The simple, soft manner in which he moved his lips across Sasuke’s was surprisingly welcoming, and Sasuke found himself easily encouraged to engage in the kiss more actively. It was as if Naruto was coaxing him to open up to him, the way he nipped at his bottom lip and rubbing his thumb back and forth across Sasuke’s cheek, but he wasn’t forcing it. Strangely, Sasuke let himself be led into the kiss, not taking control immediately as he was always prone to do. 

Indeed, it was a very possible thing for Sasuke to lose himself in this kiss, something he had only ever heard about happening, never actually experiencing it himself. 

_Butterflies_ , his hazy mind supplied. Sasuke ignored it. The fact that Naruto ended the kiss between them made too many unwelcome thoughts cloud his mind. Sasuke wasn’t really aware of them though, as he was staring at Naruto, a pink hue dusting across both of his cheeks as his warm hand caressed Sasuke’s cheek (it was still there?).

“You’re just…so…” Naruto leaned in again and Sasuke was preparing himself for another kiss (his damn body was frozen!) but instead only felt the warm pressure of a forehead against his own, rubbing his nose against Sasuke’s in an Eskimo kiss.

Sasuke was inwardly mortified when he felt his face heat up, evidence that he was blushing. _Blushing!_

_“_ I really, _really_ like you, Sas’ke. _”_ Naruto’s voice was a low timbre that Sasuke absorbed with his entire body, and he started counting the freckles across Naruto’s nose and cheeks in order to calm his racing heart. Because even he could not disregard the sincerity in the blonde’s expression and tone. 

“You believe me, don’t you?”

It was his first Christmas without Itachi. And even though the pain was there, it wasn’t all there was. For a few moments, and for the first time in a while, he had thought of something other than Itachi. As soon as Naruto had kissed him, it was as if it was just the two of them; sitting on the floor of Naruto’s flat, by the lights of the Christmas tree.

Biting his lip, Sasuke closed his eyes. These sentimental thoughts were definitely not his style. Naruto was silent, but still a warm presence by his side. Then, thinking ‘to hell with it’, Sasuke shifted closer to the blonde and used his broad shoulder as a pillow, resting his head against it.

If Naruto was startled by Sasuke’s actions he didn’t show it, rather he moved to a more comfortable position for both himself and Sasuke, leaning against the back of the couch for support. 

“You’re a dork.” Sasuke muttered, causing Naruto to chuckle lowly, and Sasuke found himself enjoying the vibrations of his laughter against his chest. 

If every Christmas from now on was like this one, then Sasuke didn’t think they would be so bad. With the warmth of another’s heart next to his, and if that other heart was Naruto…well, Sasuke would have to wait and see. 


End file.
